WHITESNAKE Frontman Says He Learned His Lesson During Making Of New Live Album

WHITESNAKE frontman David Coverdale has commented on the song-selection process for the band's upcoming live record, entitled "Live… In The Shadow of the Blues" (due in Europe on November 27 via Steamhammer/SPV Records). The set includes almost all the remarkable hits from WHITESNAKE's career, as well as two timeless DEEP PURPLE classics in "Burn" and "Stormbringer". David Coverdale was the frontman of the legendary British act between 1973 and 1976, making a significant contribution to numerous PURPLE highlights during this era. Other previously unreleased tracks that appear on "Live ... In the Shadow of the Blues" are "If You Want Me (I'll Come Running)", "All I Want Is You" and "Dog". The strictly limited version of the double album will be available in a top-quality digipack, featuring a number of surprises, among them the bonus track "Crying in the Rain", including a haunting drum solo by drum legend Tommy Aldridge.

Said Coverdale: "There was indeed a ton of material...TOO MUCH!!! As I said in repeated interviews last week in London, just because you can record as many shows as you want on the ProTools format, doesn't mean you SHOULD record so many shows. Narrowing it down was painful, I can tell you and I have learned my lesson! Next time we record a week of shows...MAXIMUM!!! We decided on about two or three performances of each song, unless a particular one leapt out. Doug [Aldrich, guitar], Mikey Mac and I chose the final tracks on the atmosphere... the character, rather than the 'professional performance'... Very difficult, as this band is incredibly consistent."

Regarding the U.S. release date of WHITESNAKE's new live record, Coverdale previously said, "We've been let down in the U.S. by a major company who led us to believe they were very keen, but after waiting for months for them to step up to the plate, their offer was negligable, to say the least... so, initially, we may have to go for a temporary iTunes exclusive, to get it out there in time... and possibly pursue an independent profile rather than get involved with a unstisfying deal (apologies, America, we will do what we can not to let you down, and I must say I am personally DELIGHTED beyond words at the recent election result... Congrats!)."

A new WHITESNAKE studio track, entitled "Ready to Rock" — one of four previously unreleased tracks that appear on "Live… In The Shadow Of The Blues" — is available for streaming at this location (Real Media).